Abstract : There is wide consensus that elderly persons are at risk for having inadequate nutritional intake. However, the national nutrition surveys are limited in numerous ways, and certainly their scope must be widened to include more complete data on elderly nutrition before definitive conclusions can be drawn about the nutritional intake of the elderly population. Furthermore, there are no adequate guidelines as to what the actual nutritional needs of the elderly are. Current guidelines do not specifically address the needs of persons aged 65 and over, nor do they address the particular needs of elderly subpopulations, such as those persons who are in the 75 and older age bracket. The available data with regard to people over 50 indicate that RDAs for this group should not be based on chronological age alone, but rather on a combination of factors that include chronological age, activity, presence of chronic disease, and general health status. Improvements are needed in both nutrition data and nutritional guidelines before definitive conclusions can be drawn about the elderly population's nutritional status.